A brief investigation of the surface-water hydrology of Yemen Arab Republic

Yemen, near the southwest tip of the Arabian Peninsula, is a mountainous country bordered by a desert on the east and a coastal plain on the west. Rainfall is low and seasonal; consequently, most streams (wadis) are ephemeral. The natural flow regimens of many of the smaller wadis are modified by terracing for agriculture. The only streamflow data available in Yemen are short records on four large wadis. A brief field investigation and application of reconnaissance techniques are the bases for the largely qualitative description of the hydrology, and for the proposal to collect streamflow data needed for orderly development of the expanding economy. (Woodard-USGS)